The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) has been making a concerted push this year to grow sales of Norwegian seafood in China, and according to the council’s latest data, that push has been paying off.
Through October, imports of Norwegian salmon into China reached 98,000 metric tons (MT) in round weight, a growth of 8.6 percent on the same period last year, according to Sigmund Bjorgo, the director of the NSC’s China office.
“Both September and October have been particularly strong months, with 17 percent and 27 percent growth, respectively. My assumption is, therefore, that for the full year, growth will end up around 9 percent,” he told SeafoodSource.
One positive aspect of shipping to the Chinese market, according to Bjorgo, is that most of the salmon Norway sends goes to the foodservice sector, which is less price-sensitive than other industries.
With salmon prices down globally this year, including in China, Bjorgo explained that demand alone is the primary reason for the growth …
